Note: Assumes 3 miles per kilowatt hour and 100‐mile range. Credit: DOE
A new White House report and press release asserts that the United State’s share of the world’s advance battery market will have grown tremendously in about six years, moving from just a 2% share in the 2008 period to a 20% share in 2012 and 40% in 2015. This includes lithium-ion batteries such as those made by A123 systems.
Another leap being reported is in advanced battery prices. The report says that the cost of a 100-mile-range battery will be falling dramatically because of manufacturing advances, especially economies of scale, in the U.S., dropping from the recent $33,000 level to $16,000 in 2012 and $10,000 in 2015.
Likewise, the price cost of a 40-mile range battery is projected to be falling from more than $13,000 in 2009, to $6,700 in 2013 and $4,000 in 2015.
A couple of other interesting assertions about what 2015 will look like, from the report:
- U.S. factories will be able to produce batteries and components to support up to 500,000 electric-drive vehicles annually.
- The lifetime of an electric vehicle battery will grow from 4 to 14 years.
- Battery weight will decrease 33% and another 83% by the end of the 2020-2030 period.
The report also notes significant new expansions in the actual capital investments in plants and equipment. It says 26 (of 30) battery and component manufacturing plants already have started construction, which includes breaking ground on new factories or installing new equipment in existing facilities.